Comm Skills Week 5 Modifiers and Parallelisms

BGEC 101: COMMUNICATION
SKILLS
WEEK 7
MODIFIERS
AND
PARALLEL STRUCTURES
Lecture Outline
Modifiers
Parallel Structures
MODIFIERS
Modifiers
• A modifier is a word or phrase that qualifies a
word, phrase or clause.
• it can also be an expression that limits or

describes another word, phrase or clause.
Modifiers
A modifier should be placed next to the word it
describes.
Example
Modifiers
• Note how the placement of the modifier
creates different possible meanings:
Modifiers
• Note how different placement of the word only
creates a difference in meaning between the ff:
• Sentence A means that the shopper did not buy any

ties.
• Sentence B means that the shopper visited only the
tie department.
Misplaced Modifiers
• A misplaced modifier is a word, phrase, or clause
that is improperly separated from the word it
describes.
• Sentences with misplaced modifiers often sound
awkward, confusing, or downright illogical.
• Some frequently misplaced single words are
• almost even exactly hardly just merely
nearly only scarcely simply
Misplaced single word
• Example
– The logical meaning of this sentence is not that the

vendor almost sold all of her pottery, but that she sold
almost all of her pottery.
• Therefore, almost correctly belongs next to all.

Misplaced phrase
• Example
– As written, this sentence means that children were

served on paper plates.
– On paper plates is misplaced.
• Correctly written, the sentence means that
hamburgers were served, on paper plates.
Misplaced phrase
– As written, this sentence means that the car is carrying a

briefcase. Carrying a briefcase is misplaced.
• Correctly written, the sentence means that the man

is carrying a briefcase.
Misplaced clause
• Example
– As written, this sentence means that the store was

broken..
• Correctly written, the sentence means that the toy

was broken.
Misplaced clause
• Example #2
•
• As written, the sentence means that I forgot my

keys after I got home.
Squinting modifiers
• A squinting modifier is a modifier misplaced so that
it may describe two situations.
Example
• The sentence above is unclear.

– Does it mean that I told my son when the game was
over? OR
– Does it mean that I would play with him when the
game was over?
Squinting modifiers
Dangling Modifier Errors
• A dangling modifier is "dangling" because its
placement gives it nothing to modify.
• In many cases, the dangling modifier appears at the

beginning of a sentence, although it can also come
at the end.
• Sometimes the error occurs because the sentence

fails to specify anything to which the modifier can
refer.
Dangling Modifier Errors
• At other times the dangling modifier is placed next
to the wrong noun or noun substitute: a noun that
it does not modify.
• Dangling modifiers may appear in a variety of
forms:
– Dangling participles
– Dangling gerund
– Dangling infinitive
– Dangling elliptical clause
Dangling participles
•
• In this sentence, the modifier passing the building

is positioned next to the broken window.
• The resulting meaning is that "the broken window"
is "passing the building," clearly not the
• intended meaning.
Dangling participles
• In this sentence, the modifier once revised

and corrected is positioned next to I,
suggesting that "I" have been "revised and
corrected."
Dangling gerund
•
•
• In this sentence, the modifier after roasting

for three hours is positioned next to we,
meaning that "we" have been "roasting for
three hours."
Dangling infinitive:
• In this sentence, the modifier to walk a high

wire is positioned next to a pole. As a result,
the sentence means that "a pole" can walk "a
high wire."
•
Dangling elliptical clause:
• In this sentence, the modifier when just six

years old is positioned next to my
grandmother, suggesting that my six year old
grandmother taught me ballet.
How to repair dangling modifiers – two options
• 1. Change the subject of the sentence to whatever
is being described by the modifier.
– (Sometimes you will need to invent a subject.)
•
– With the modifier next to my paper, the sentence

clearly means that "my paper" was "corrected and
rewritten."
•
• 1. Change the subject of the sentence to whatever
is being described by the modifier.
– (Sometimes you will need to invent a subject.)
•
– With the modifier next to an acrobat, the sentence

clearly means that "an acrobat" can "walk a high wire."
•
2. Add a word or phrase to the modifier so it
becomes a clause:
•
– With its own subject, "was revised and corrected" clearly

refers to "my paper."
2. Add a word or phrase to the modifier so it
becomes a clause:
•
– With its own subject, "was just six years old" clearly
refers to "I."
TRY THE EXERCISES IN THE
LECTURE NOTES
PARALLEL STRUCTURE IN SENTENCES
• Parallel structure means using similar forms of
words and phrases to express similar parts of a
sentence.
• You can see what this means by looking at some

examples :
• Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy,
wealthy, and wise. (3 adjectives)
• Sailing, surfing, and swimming are popular sports.

(3 –ing endings)
• After I opened the bill, I wrote the check. (2 past

tense verbs)
• Stanley likes to fish, to hunt, and to drive.

(3 infinitives)
• Government of the people, for the people and by

the people…
(3 similar phrases)
Incorrect sentences:
• Stanley likes to fish, to hunt, and driving.
(“Driving” is not parallel)
• It is easier to do the right thing than doing wrong.

“To do” does not match “doing.”
TRY THE EXERCISE IN YOUR LECTURE

NOTES
QUESTIONS?
Next Topic: CONCORD
END OF LECTURE

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BGEC 101: COMMUNICATION

• it can also be an expression that limits or

• Sentence A means that the shopper did not buy any

– The logical meaning of this sentence is not that the

• Therefore, almost correctly belongs next to all.

– As written, this sentence means that children were

– As written, this sentence means that the car is carrying a

• Correctly written, the sentence means that the man

– As written, this sentence means that the store was

• Correctly written, the sentence means that the toy

• As written, the sentence means that I forgot my

• The sentence above is unclear.

• In many cases, the dangling modifier appears at the

• Sometimes the error occurs because the sentence

• In this sentence, the modifier passing the building

• In this sentence, the modifier once revised

• In this sentence, the modifier after roasting

• In this sentence, the modifier to walk a high

• In this sentence, the modifier when just six

– With the modifier next to my paper, the sentence

– With the modifier next to an acrobat, the sentence

– With its own subject, "was revised and corrected" clearly

• You can see what this means by looking at some

• Sailing, surfing, and swimming are popular sports.

• After I opened the bill, I wrote the check. (2 past

• Stanley likes to fish, to hunt, and to drive.

• Government of the people, for the people and by

• It is easier to do the right thing than doing wrong.

TRY THE EXERCISE IN YOUR LECTURE

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